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LERT – Lifesaving
Emergency Response Team
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The Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club offers a year round (out of normal
patrol hours) emergency search and rescue service to the Victorian
community.
Our
Strategic Plan (2007-2017) clearly identified objectives to develop an out
of hours service. The first step was to develop
emergency aquatic response capabilities for the Bellarine area with a 4
hour response time, which will be then be enhanced (in the second step) to
assist the Bellarine region to provide 24x7 emergency aquatic response
capabilities with a 1 hour response time.
A LERT (Lifesaving Emergency Response Team) is an out of hours
service offered by selected Victorian Surf Life Saving Clubs and Life
Saving Clubs.
Under the State Emergency
Manual, Life Saving Victoria has a responsibility to specifically support
both Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria.
LSV is a Key Support Agency to
the Victoria Police for Rescue (Water) under Part 7 Emergency Management
Agency Roles (p.7-3).
LSV is a Secondary Agency to
the Ambulance Victoria for First Aid under part 7 Emergency Management
Agency Roles (p.7-4)
Club members are selected to participate in this vital life saving
service after demonstrating that they have a commitment to serve the
community on a year round basis and have the necessary skills and
qualifications to undertake the types of activities LERT members will be
involved in.
Active members must meet the following pre-requisites:
O
Current Point Lonsdale SLSC Member
O
18 years or over
O
Car licence holder
O
Boat licence holder (with PWC endorsement)
O
SLSA Bronze Medallion (Proficient)
O
Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue)
O
SLSA Advanced Resuscitation Techniques Certificate (Proficient)
O
First Aid Certificate (Proficient)
O
SLSA IRB Crew (Proficient)
O
SLSA IRB Driver (Proficient
O
SLSA ATV Operators Certificate
O
Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency or
Marine Radio Operators VHF Certificate of Proficiency
Members are encouraged to gain the SES Introduction to Emergency
Management Course.
O
SLSA RWC Certificate (after having met all above).
In addition, we offer members who don’t have an active
(water based) lifesaving background / qualifications the opportunity to
join as support members, especially if they are based in the local area and
these members must meet the following pre-requisites:
O
Current Point Lonsdale SLSC Member
O
18 years or over
O
Car licence holder
O
SLSA Advanced Resuscitation Techniques Certificate (Proficient)
O
First Aid Certificate (Proficient)
O
SLSA ATV Operators Certificate
O
Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency or Marine Radio
Operators VHF Certificate of Proficiency
Members are encouraged to gain the SES Introduction to Emergency
Management Course.
The Club owns and operates two Sea Doo GTI-155 Rescue Water Craft
(RWC), complete to Life Saving Victoria and Surf Life Saving Australia
standards and operating procedures, which is the front line rescue craft
for our LERT. During peak summer times regular patrols are conducted along
the Bellarine Coast, primarily from Queenscliff to Bancoora.
Our RWCs (Bellarine Jet Ski 1 and Bellarine Jet Ski 2) work in
conjunction with the Barwon Heads / 13th Beach SLSC RWC
(Bellarine Jet Ski 3), and Coastwatch Radio and Marine Rescue Squad Ocean
Grove to form the Bellarine Support Service. This service aims to not only
provide a year round callout service, but to regularly support and assist
the work done by volunteer surf lifesavers and paid lifeguards on Bellarine
patrolled beaches and to provide a limited degree of surveillance at non
patrolled beaches between Queenscliff and Bancoora. Remember that the
safest place to swim is always between the red and yellow flags at a
patrolled beach.
For any queries about the Club LERT, please telephone Matthew
Ponsford (LERT Captain) on 0419 52 52 58.
Current LERT Sponsors and
Supporters:
G-BOARDS
JAMES O’BRIEN ARTSHOW
PETER STEVENS MOTORCYCLES
– GEELONG
QUEENSCLIFF / POINT LONSDALE
COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE
SEA DOO
THE STICKER COMPANY and WALKER SIGN CENTRE GEELONG
RACV FOUNDATION
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT
Please note that all
requests for emergency assistance must be directed to the Police (or
Ambulance for medical emergencies) on 000.
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